Electrical control apparatus



Jan. 15, 1946. J. GEIER' 2,392,913

' ELECTRICAL comm; A PPARA TUS Filed Sept. 22, 1944 Patented Jan. 15, 1946 Application September 22, 1944, Serial No. 555,375

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to electrical control apparatus and more particularly to an electrical sensing device for determining when the cop winding on a loom shuttle has become depleted.

In the field of automatically controlled power operated looms, electrical control devices are uti- 1ized in which sensing fingers, movabl supported in the electrical control device, are adapted to enter the shuttle and contact the cop winding thereon. This sensing operation is preferably performed with each cyclical reciprocation of the shuttle so that upon the depletion of the cop winding the control may act to prevent damage or undesirable irregularity in the woven material produced by the loom.

Thus, the present control may be utilized to aifect a stop motion which causes the weavin operation to cease until a new cop or pro-loaded shuttle may be manually installed in the loom; or on the other hand, the present electrical control may be used to efiect the operation of a device associated with the loom and well known in the art to which the present invention relates, which upon the depletion of the cop in the then active shuttle, removes the empty shuttle from the shed and substitutes a second shuttle which is fully loaded with a thread winding of weft thread.

Electrical controls of this general nature have been known in the art but have been open to several objections in construction, operation and servicing which the present invention remedies. The present invention is, therefore, an improvement over the prior known structure. Because of the relatively high speed operation of looms in which the electric stop or shuttle shifting mechanisms are used, the sensing fingers are subject to considerable wear. This is particularly so at the relatively forward end of the electrical control. By virtue of this wear, the shape of certain of the parts of the electrical control are undesirably altered with a reduction in operating efliciency. This is extremely disadvantageous and particularly so where a bank of looms is being operated by relatively few weavers and loom fixers. Thus, if the electrical control fails to operate properly the continuation of the weaving process with the empty shuttle deleteriously affects the finished cloth. The foolproof operation of the device over continuousl long periods, is, therefore, of paramount importance. 1 Another disadvantage of prior art structures lies in the fact that in order to'produce an adequately sensitive sensing movement of the-sensiin the portions thereof subject to ing-fingers, highly resilient light weight springs are desirable. Owing to the very great number of flexures produced in the springs during operation, they are subject to fracture, particularly if they are of non-regular shape at the irregularities in the shape thereof. In accordance with thepresent invention the springs are of regular configuration and may be fabricated from a continuous strip having uniform resiliency characteristics throughout.

Since looms with which the present class of device is used, are operated over long periods of time in order to maintain continuously perfect operation, it is desirable that parts may be' replaced after failure with a minimum of time and labor. It is, therefore, among the objects of the present invention to provide an electrical control device which may be readily serviced and have worn parts thereof quickly replaced so that weaving time lost is reduced to a minimum. v

Since the springs have a relatively shorter life than the rest of the device and constitute areplaceable item, it is important that they be of relatively low cost and the present improved spring construction and mounting therefor, results in a substantial saving in cost.

1 his further among the objects of the present electrical control, to remedy the foregoing described dis-advantages of prior art construction.

Another object herein lies in the provision of novel sensing finger support construction wheregreatest wear may be quickly and easily replaced. Theseobjects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure'and be pointed out in the appended'claims. In the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a view in perspective, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention in juxtaposition with a shuttle.

letus' say. through the binding post .I l andv the rear sensing finger guide terminal |2. From this point the electrical current travels through the spring l3 and the sensing finger shank 4 to the tip |5, thence through the metal core l6 of the cop I! in the shuttle l8. From this point current travels through the tip IS, the shank 20 and the spring 2| through the rear sensing finger guide terminal 22 and through the binding post 23. This electrical current may then be conducted in a well known manner to suitable relays or other electricaldevices which will either signal the fact that the circuit has been completed through the core H or which will actuate mechanisms which will supply the shuttle l8 with a replenished cop As viewed in the drawing, the movement of the shuttle I8 is longitudinal thereof as viewed in Figure 1, or to and from the viewer as viewed in Figure 2. Because of the friction against the tips l5 and Hi caused by the winding on the cop H as the tips enter the slot 44, the shanks ll and 20 are subjected to considerable stress in the dinarrow strip stock with substantially no waste. Furthermore, since the ends are regular and there are no projections with angles or crevices, fracture of the spring due to fatigue of the material therein does not occur as frequently as with prior art structures.

In View of the fact that the terminals I2 and 22 are substantially identical except that one is a left hand one and the other is a right hand one, a detailed description of one will suffice for both. Thus in Figure 4 is seen a view in perspective of the terminal l2 Which includes a binding post engaging portion 55, a spring rear and rectionsof the arrows 24 and 25. This causes considerable wear in the side walls of the grooves 25 and 21 in the forward sensing finger guide block 28.

As best seen in Figure 2, reciprocation of the shanks l4 and 20 in the directions of the arrows 29 and 3|], causes a bowing or fiexure of the springs l3 and 2|. The fingers 3| and 32 are normally disposed in the outermost position thereof, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 when the tips '|5 and I9 do not engage the shuttle or cop. They are resiliently urged into this position by the springs |3 and 2|. When the tips If: and I9 engage the shuttle or cop, they are urged rearwardly or in the direction of the arrow 29 against the resilient actionof the springs l3 and 2|. Forward movement of the fingers 3| and 32 is limited by detents 33 which may be in the form of stationary collars on the shanks l4 and 20.

The device l0 includes a main body 34 of irregular configuration best seen in the drawing and the body 34 is preferably composed of insulating material such as vulcanized fiber. The body 34 may be provided with a pair of openings 35 by means of which it may beadjustably secured to the frame or some attachment to the frame of the 160m (not shown) so that said body may be maintained in proper operative position so that the tips l5 and I9 may correctly engage the shuttle, particularly the slot 44. The body 34 is provided with a central orifice 3G and it is within this orifice that the ends 31, 38, 39'and 40 of springs 2| and I3, respectively, are disposed (see Figure 2). Disposed at the front portion 4|, the body 34 is provided with a recess which is adapted to receive the block 28 and said block is adjustably secured in place by means of the screw 43 which penetrates an orifice 45 in the block 28 and threadedly engages the orifice 46 on the platform 41 disposed between the portions 48 and 49 which are adapted to slidablyengage the ends 50 and 5| of the block 28.

The springs I3 and 2| are substantiallyidentical and as best seen in Figure 5 are elongated and ofsubstantially uniform width and thickness. Each of the springs |3 and 2| is provided with orifices 52 and 53'adiacent the ends thereof and these orifices 52 and 53 are preferably elongated so that the ends of the springs do not bind upon the shanks I4 and 20 of the fingers 3| and 32. Since as contrasted with prior art constructions there are no lateral extensions upon the springs 13-01-11; the sameimay' be readily blanked from finger shank engaging portion 51 and spring side guiding portions 58 and 59. This part l2 may be stamped, punched and formed from a single piece of planar material such as brass. The portion 56 is provided with an orifice '66 through which is passed the bolt of the binding post (not shown). The portion 51 is disposed at substantially right angles with relation to the plane of the portion 55, and the portions 58 and 59 are spaced and parallel and are each at right angles to .the portion 51. As best seen in Figure 2, the portion 51 is provided with an orifice M which is co-axial with an orifice 62 in the rear portion 53 of the body 34.

Thus, each of the shanks l4 and 2|! may reciprocate longitudinally thereof within the body 34, the forward portions of said shank being supported against lateral displacements by the grooves 25 and 21 and at the rear portions thereof by the orifices 52 and the orifices 8|. The orifices in the springs H3 and 2| being penetrated by the shanks of the sensing fingers, are prevented from moving away from the body 34 and said springs are prevented from twistin about the shanks l4 and 20 as axes, by the engagement of the rear portions of said springs with the portions 58 and 59 on the guide terminals I2 and 22.

It may thus be seen that I have disclosed a novel and useful electrical sensing device for use upon looms, which is extremely sensitive and which may have long periods of effective operation. When after a long period of use, the grooves 26 and 21 becomeworn so that their side walls no longer properly position and slidably support the shanks l4 and 2|), it is a relatively simple matter tb release the screw 43 and to replace the block 28 with a new one in which the grooves .25 and 21 have their proper size. In the event of a spring breakage either the spring |3 or 2|, it may be quickly replaced by removing the screw 43 which allows the block 2a to be moved forweirdly. This permits the detent 33 to be moved forwardly sufficiently to unseat the rear end of either of the shanks M or 28 from the orifices 62 and the orifices 6| so that the broken portions of the spring may be slid off the rear terminal of the'shank in question. After a new spring has been replaced by the penetration of the orifices therein by the particular shank of the sensing finger. the rear end of the shank is reseated and the block 28 replaced.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

' 1. An electrical 'sensingdevlce for closing a circult therethrough with a conductor carried by the core of a cop ona loom shuttle, comprising:

asensing fineer; a body spring having parallel sideedges which arestraight when the springis unfiexed and having an orifice in each end thereof; said sensing finger penetrating said orifices; and means to prevent rotation of said spring about said finger as an axis.

2. An electrical sensing device for closing a circuit therethrough with a conductor carried by the core of a cop on a loom shuttle, comprising: a sensing finger; a body spring having parallel side edges which are straight when the spring is 

